Fujitsu launches major initiative to drive diversity and inclusion

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Posted on Apr 19, 2017

Tech company Fujitsu have announced a major initiative to drive the evolution of its diversity programme and help accelerate digital transformation, with a year-long initiative to identify global best practices in diversity and inclusion. To spearhead this initiative, Steven Cox, previously Head of Fujitsu’s Public Sector and Transport business in the UK and Ireland, will be taking up a twelve-month secondment as Diversity and Inclusion Ambassador for Fujitsu.

According to Fujitsu, a global growth inhibitor for digital transformation is the lack of sufficient talented staff with the right skills. Fujitsu is countering this – to both better enable its customers, and as part of its own ongoing process of digital transformation – by focusing on building and retaining a skilled workforce that reflects the diversity of its customers and society as a whole. At the same time, Fujitsu places an emphasis on maintaining the atmosphere of mutual respect, trust and communication that is proven to be essential to effective teamwork.

To ensure that Fujitsu provides a truly diverse and inclusive workplace, Steven Cox will identify and evaluate diversity best practices in private sector companies, third sector (voluntary and community) organisations and academic institutions. Cox will focus on topics including gender and sexual orientation, ethnicity and religion, disability and the ageing workforce. A key element of his remit is to identify leaders in the emerging sectors of robotic process automation (RPA) and artificial intelligence (AI), and determine how they are successful – in the context of different cultures, geographies and markets – in reconciling the requirements of increased automation with genuine workplace diversity. Cox’s findings will form the basis of a new worldwide Fujitsu Diversity and Inclusion programme.

Duncan Tait, SEVP, Head of EMEIA and the Americas at Fujitsu, comments:

“Fujitsu is a long-term advocate of diversity in the workforce, and with the appointment of Steven Cox as Diversity and Inclusion ambassador, we are placing this issue firmly at the centre of our organisation. To continue to provide world-class service to our customers, and to stay at the forefront of technology innovation, we are wholly committed to creating an inclusive work environment in which every employee – irrespective of their age, gender, ethnic origin, race, religious belief, sexual orientation, disability or marital status – can contribute and thrive. As an indication of the importance we place on operating as an ethical and responsible business, we have asked Steven to thoroughly investigate this field and to drive the development of our own world-class diversity and inclusion programme.”

Steven Cox, Diversity and Inclusion Ambassador at Fujitsu, says:

“Having a diverse workforce and an inclusive workplace is good for business and for the people working there. Digital transformation and in particular automation and artificial intelligence are set to change the way we work, which will affect future workplace cultures as well as workforce expectations. Excellence in diversity and inclusion enables the attraction and retention of the very best talent for that future – by ensuring a focus on bringing out the best in people, regardless of religious beliefs or cultural backgrounds, physical capabilities or sexual orientation. In this pioneering new role I am looking forward to working with exemplar companies, institutions and academics to develop insights that will be mutually beneficial and invite them to engage with us to do so.”